


Who's Scruffy Looking?

by bestmemoriesarehers



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, De-Aged Characters, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-22 09:40:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22580764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bestmemoriesarehers/pseuds/bestmemoriesarehers
Summary: “You’re a loony,” But Rey knows he can’t be. When she rescues tall, snarky, rude Ben Solo from the clutches of a monster, Rey finds herself out of the streets and straight into a world bigger than she’s ever imagined. Before long, she’s diving headfirst into a date with destiny.Aka the Percy Jackson AU no one's thought of yet apparently.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 7
Kudos: 18





	Who's Scruffy Looking?

**Author's Note:**

> FYI, everyone is quite a bit younger in this than in Canon. Ben is 17, Rey is around 15-16ish, and Poe, Finn and some of the others will be around their ages as well. I won't get into specifics until much later once I've finalized the details.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy! :)
> 
> NOTE: I've decided to reupload and rework this story since I've decided to give it another try at life. Last time I stopped at 2 chaps and didn't update for 2 years...fingers crossed I actually keep at it this time lol

“You just gonna stand there or what?”

Rey gulps. She's finally been caught staring. But what to do next?

On what should be a calm, seemingly unordinary day amidst the street traffic of London, stands a ten-foot-tall, morbidly obese, not so ordinary Giant clad in, of all things, a grease-stained shirt, jeans, apron and a Yankees baseball cap. The beast of a man, if it even was a man, is grilling beef skewers behind a food stand. His gruesome pink skin is mottled and cracked under the summer sun. The only thing that seems to mask what Rey realizes is his body odor is the scent of meat he’s grilling. But his most distinguishing feature are the gargantuan fangs protruding from his fat lip, which erase any doubt Rey has that something about him isn't quite human.

But what’s most unsettling is the bruised, beaten boy sitting right by the stand. His most prominent feature is his hair: black, chin-length partially tied back in a ponytail, leaving his side bangs hanging loose in front of rather sizable ears. He’s got a strip of duct tape covering his mouth from ear to ear, and his hands have been zip-tied behind his back. She wonders why he hasn’t tried to scream for help, though it comes to her that perhaps he’s already tried.

When their eyes had met, when he’d seemed to realize that she could see him, his head had immediately started shaking as if he knew she would try to call for help, as if to say: _Bad idea. Otherwise this giant will skewer_ you _next._

Rey’s initial instinct was to do the opposite. She can’t be bothered to afford police attention. This is the third time she’s run away from her home at the orphanage, and presumably the last until she’s eventually put in a much more secure juvenile detention center. But there’s nothing worse to her than being stuck with a bunch of other nobodies, especially those who saw fit to crown themselves king of the castle. She’d never fit in with them, and she doesn’t see the point in trying to, especially when all she started to get in return were bruises and broken ribs.

When she first stumbled upon the food stand, she’d dismissed it as some prank or social experiment. The giant’s fangs were just extremely good makeup (as if that was a good explanation for why he’d be wearing it out in the street), or why he must’ve been at least ten feet tall. Which, she realized, didn't explain why nobody was giving him any sort of attention whatsoever.

But then she’d witness a passerby: a stern man wearing a tan business suit order a taco without as much of a glance in the boy’s direction. That was when Rey had. She’d followed him until she was sure the monster could not see them, tried to convince him to call the cops for her. She couldn't afford to be caught again, but she could at least do something to help without alerting the Giant that she knew of his presence.

It hadn’t gone well, to say the least.

_Sir, you just bought a beef panini from a giant and yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s a kidnapped boy next to him. Yes, a giant, as in like an actual monster. What? How is that offensi-no, this is not a prank. What? How can you not see him? He’s right there! There’s nothing wrong with my eyes you blind piece of-_

“Miss?” The giant grunts in a gravelly voice, snapping her out of her thoughts. “You hear me?”

If she’d been smart and swept away her conscience, she would’ve already walked away by now. She’s five foot two and hasn’t eaten since the morning before. She's got a better chance at winning the lottery than even trying to land a punch on the beast. But, much to her disappointment, her conscience fails her again.

“Uh…” Rey says. “How much would one stick be?”

“Look at the sign.”

Rey glances at it. The menu has been handwritten in permanent marker; though it might as well have been written by a toddler by how illegible it is. “Ten Pence?” she exclaims. She plays it up, hoping her false surprise will mask the fear that’s bubbling in the pit of belly. “That’s a lot less than I expected.”

“That’s for a can of Coke,” the Giant explains. “You’ll have to add a pound for a stick, lass.”

“Can you just take a pound?” Rey begs. It’s all I really have, Mr…”

“Plutt. Unkar Plutt.”

“Mr. Plutt,” Rey says. The monster scrunches his bushy eyebrows. Nerved by the look he gives her with his beady blue eyes, she decides to mask it by acting as casual as possible. “Hey, do you mind if I call you Unk?”

“Doesn’t matter.” The giant grunts in a snappy manner. “I’d curse my mother either way. Now, do you have any money or not?”

“You know the Steak place down by 54th?” Rey asks.

“Yes?” the giant replies. “Are you still going to answer the question?”

“I used to wash dishes there.” Rey blurts. “Quit after half a year, but I swear I remember what their secret ingredient was for the grilled stick special that’s always being ordered. You interested?”

It’s not that great of a lie, but it’s the best she can improvise at the moment.

“You have my attention,” Unk says after an excruciatingly long moment.

“Mrs. Dolittle’s Seasoning. You just sprinkle a dice onto every skewer, cook it like normal and voila!”

“Mrs. Dolittle’s Seasoning?”

“Amazing stuff,” Rey says with as much certainty as she’s able to fake. “Better than average. Master Chef’s secret…yeah,” she finishes, unable to come up with any more bullshit to sell him on.

“And where would I find some?” Unk asks, staring at Rey with the same scrutiny that reminds her of the many caretakers in her past, whenever she got into trouble.

“There’s a grocery store just down the block, over there,” Rey replies, pointing southward. “I think you should try it out. The Steak Place could use some competition, given how much of an arse their owner is.”

“Well Miss,” he says, “I gotta go use the lav. But since you’ve aroused my curiosity, I’ll use the one in that grocery store and see if I can find some of this stuff for myself.”

Rey forces herself to grin. “I’ll be waiting. I swear, Unk, it’s so worth the money.”

Unk doesn’t return the friendly gesture. He removes his apron, puts down his spatula and walks away from his stand and into the ground, where he blends into it as well as he can, being about eight feet tall. No one seems to notice his presence, and Rey has a feeling it has little to do with being occupied by their smartphones.

As soon as she’s sure he’s is out of sight, Rey dashes to the back of the stand. There's a knife by the grill she grabs before walking to the boy.

“Good god.” Rey kneels and lets out the breath she didn’t know she’s been holding in. “I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest”. Slowly, with care, she peels away the tape covering his mouth.

“You...you knew what he was? But ho-OW!” the boy yelps as Rey slides the knife a little too quickly behind the zip ties, cutting his wrist. His accent tells her he's American, which raises even more questions to her.

“Sorry!”

“You could’ve been a little more careful with that,” the boy gasps. He examines his wrists, which thankfully appear to only have been scratched mildly.

“You didn’t need to make that any clearer. I speak English too, you know.”

The boy chuckles. “How on earth were you able to see me?”

“What do you mean how? I just saw you, like how normal people see things.”

“Well clearly, you’re not normal,” the boy says.

“Excuse me?” Rey snaps. “How rude!”

The boy ignores her. “You saw its true form?”

“If you mean the enormous hunk of meat with the horrid breath and the acne even worse than yours then yes, I did. Are all Americans as rude as you are?”

“No. And my acne isn’t that bad. It can’t be nearly as bad as how much you stink. When was the last time you had a shower?”

Rey rolls her eyes. “Not in a while, unfortunately. That’s what you have to deal with once you’re homeless. You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t know. ” The boy slowly gets to his feet. He wipes away some dust on his Led Zeppelin shirt. He’s got a long face and large ears that stick out from his long, matted hair. His face is still boyish and gangly, but Rey can tell he’s probably a few years older than her. “And thanks,” he says.

Rey considers slapping him until she notices him pull something from under the stand. “Is that a sword?”

The boy raises an eyebrow. “You can see this too?”

“Do I look blind to you?” Rey snaps. “Of course!”

“If you help me get out of here I’ll tell you." He looks around at his surroundings. Nobody seems to have noticed anything unusual. "Is there any source of flowing water out here? Like a river? A fountain?”

“There’s the Joy of Life Fountain in Hyde Park," Rey replies. "It’s not so far, so sure, I'll walk with you. But why?”

The boy smiles. “You’ll see."

XX

Hyde Park is only a few blocks away, though it does take a while for them to reach the Fountain. Given that it’s the morning on a weekday, she isn’t surprised to find that there’s no one there. Most people only take walks or go jogging in their weekends.

As they walk, Rey listens to the boy talk about his background, and it's as ludicrous as she expects. Apparently, the Greek Gods (and their Roman counterparts) were real, and still going around having affairs with mortals and producing demigod children like him. Yes, that _was_ a giant she’d just been talking to, and somehow, he’d been able to use some magical force called Mist, which she's apparently able to see through.

“So…what do you think?” the boy asks after he finishes his explanation.

Rey pauses to consider. It all sounds like the ludicrous rambling of someone who has read too many conspiracy theories and watched far too many fantasy films. “You’re a loony."

“Oh come on," he groans. "After that thing you’ve just rescued me from? You’ve never seen anything like that before?”

“I was kidding." Rey smirks. Despite the ridiculousness, no, _insanity_ of it all, there was little other explanation she could consider at the moment. "But anyone else would think that if you told them all you’ve just told me.”

“Which is why I usually don’t,” the boy says. “Unless they’ve seen what you’ve seen. That’s usually a sign that you’re a half-blood like me.”

“But if you say I’m like you, a half-blood, I should see more stuff like the giant back there…right?" Rey asks. "Because I haven’t." 

"You’re sure?" The boy asks. "Nothing like, I dunno, winged horses? Snake-haired women?”

“Nope." Rey says. "Pretty sure I would remember if I did."

“Maybe it’s because England isn’t part of any godly realm, and I just got really unlucky today,” Her new companion looks around at the spacious area around them. “This looks like a really good place for a Pegasus to land.”

“Pegasus? Like in that Disney movie?”

“Pretty much. Flew him from New York. It’s how I ended up here.”

“Goodness.” Rey sighs. It’s silly, she thinks, how accepting she is of all this nonsense. But she’s seen the giant. And the sword, apparently, though she’s no idea why the Mist would hide something like that. Plus, it’s better than accepting the boring reality she’d thought she’d occupied. “I wish I could be special. Like you. You must to get see all kinds of cool stuff.”

“I hate to be that guy, but you really shouldn’t,” the boy replies. “I’ve had to face far worse monsters than Unkar Plutt as a kid, and I grew up in New Rome, where it’s considered _safe_ for demigods. You’ve got to be dangerous to live in a dangerous world.”

“Hey, I can be dangerous. I’ve got to. I’ve been living off the land for about, 2 months?” Rey guesses. “Wow, time flies.”

“So, you _are_ homeless,” Ben says. “I didn’t want to assume, but by the way you look, and dressed…why?”

“Why what?” Rey asks.

“Why are you homeless? You can't be any older than I am. Shouldn’t the government still be able to take care of you somehow?”

She decides to keep her explanation brief. "I’m running away from my orphanage. I’m…well, I got myself into some trouble there.. Not that I really miss it, though, living there. Never really felt at home anywhere. Never felt like I really belonged. And if you always feel alone, what’ll make the difference?”

“I understand that,” the boy says. "Don"t have the heart to judge, even if there were things you might have done better. Do you think that too?"

 _Woah_. While most people she’s met seem to only say this out of pity, this stranger Rey’s just met seems more perceptive, more genuine than anyone she’s met before.

Rey's used to hiding her emotions like a mask. It's how she's survived both the urban jungle and her hell of a home. But something about this tall pimply boy with a snappy attitude makes her feel like she can let her guard down.

“I’m looking for my parents, you see,” she continues.

"Oh?" The boy's eyes widen. "They're still alive?"

“They could be dead, but I hope they're not," Rey says. "And I hope I’ll find them someday, or at least get to know their names.”

Then something strikes her like lightning. “Oh, wow! How could I forget; I don’t even know your name. I’m Rey. What’s yours?”

“Ben. Ben-“

WHACK!

Rey doesn’t even have the time to blink when Ben falls face forward to the ground. The enormous wooden baseball bat that’s smacked the back of his skull also clatters to the pavement by his prone form.

“ _Solo_!” a voice cries behind her that Rey recognizes all too well.

With dread, she turns to greet it. Still clad in his dirty apron, Unkar Plutt stomps towards her, face furious, this time brandishing another enormous club. Judging from his expression, he’s far from happy, and not just because he’s been tricked.

“You thought you could get away from me so easily?” the giant snarls. “Your scent is too strong, son of Zeus!”

“Shit!” Rey kneels and examines Ben. He’s bleeding from the back of his head, but Rey still detects a pulse. “Ben?” she cries. “Can you hear me?”

“You best leave him be now if you don’t want to get hurt, girlie,” Unk says. “You’re no match for me.”

“Someone? Anyone?” Rey cries.

“No one’s around, girlie,” the giant says. And he’s right; the park appears to be empty, not even a squirrel seems to be in sight. This time, she has to worry only about herself and herself alone. fight. “And even then, they wouldn’t be able to tell what’s going on. All your yammering’s for naught.”

“Why don’t you let me have him?” He says. Much to Rey’s surprise, Unk puts down his club. “I’m not even interested in fighting you, if I have to be honest. I’ll let you go, without any trouble, and you can forget any of this even happened. I swear it on the River Styx.”

Rey looks down at Ben’s unconscious body. There was blood seeping down his head from the wound the club had inflicted upon him. turns to face him, squeezing her fists. “I won’t let you have him.”

“That I can see,” Unk says. “But what can you do against me? You’re a clever one, tricking me into looking for something that doesn’t exist, but there’s no way out of this.”

“Not if I can help it.” Rey rushes over and snatches Ben’s sword off the ground. But it’s heavier than she expected, and she nearly falls from just the effort of keeping it up.

Despair begins to overwhelm her, which Unk just laughs at. “Oooo, I’m just _quivering_ in fear,” he mocks. “Your skinny arms can’t even hold it right!” He starts walking toward her, face wide in a menacing grin and Rey tries to make a final stand.

Back in the orphanage there was a girl named Sandra Chelsea, and she was the worst. She bossed around most of the younger kids and always managed to manipulate them to do her bidding. Everyone except Rey. She's far too stubborn to let anyone intimidate her, and that's cost her greatly.

She left only when she realized there was nothing that could be done that could help herself.

But that hasn't stopped her from trying to do what she felt was right. And to her, Unk is just another bully.

“Get back!” she yells. “Leave, or I’ll shove this in a place it hurts!”

But Unk advances, shaking her head. When he’s close enough, Rey tries to swing the blade at his stomach, but she’s too slow, caught off guard by the weight. Before she can even blink, the sword flies out of her hands, whacked to her left by one of the giant’s enormous arms. With the other, he smacks the center of her chest hard enough to send her flying backward. Rey lands hard on her back but, thankfully, on some grass nearby.

“Someone! Anyone! Can anyone get help?” she chokes, the wind completely knocked out of her. But there’s no one in sight to hear her.

“You thought you actually stood a chance against me? Too easy,” the giant says with a horrible, menacing smile. “Last chance girl. Or I’ll be making skewers out of _you_ next.”

Rey glances to her right at Ben’s fallen sword. If she could only distract him with something, anything. Then maybe, just maybe, she might be able to make a run for it. Her chances of surviving are slim anyway, so what difference does it make? It’s the only hope she’s got either way.

“Piss off, you knob-headed freak!” Rey screams, ready to make a mad dash and fight for her life.

Then, without warning, Unk lets out a cry of pain.

“What!?”

The monster grasps his leg, which is now covered in blood. Rey watches him groan in pain, confused, but then realizes something cold and heavy is in her grasp. She looks down, and _the sword is already in her hand…how did the sword get in her hand?_

A sudden wave of determination and energy overflows her body, her arms, filling her with a sudden adrenaline. Any hesitation or uncertainty she has vanishes in an instant.

With a bellow of rage, with strength she didn't even recognize, she plunges the blade straight into Unk's belly. He doesn't even have the time to try to block her.

In an instant, the giant dissolves into a pile of sand, much to Rey’s amazement. _Well, that explains why no one’s found one of these things dead._ But then she remembers Ben, and dashes immediately to his side.

“Ben?” Rey kneels and shakes his shoulders. Nothing. She slaps him. “BEN!”

Silence. She slaps him harder on the other cheek. She fears the worst. But then…

“Ugh…” Ben grumbles, grimacing. “Why do my cheeks hurt?”

“Sorry.” Ben tries to move his arms toward his head, probably to touch the wound there, but Rey stops him. “Don’t touch it,” she says. “You need medical help. I’m going to try to find the police.”

“No.” Ben shakes his head. “Won’t understand. My bag. Ambrosia. Cubes.”

“Ambro-what?” Rey asks as she grabs Ben’s bag and zips it open. “What cubes?”

“The cubes…need to eat. Healing powers.”

It doesn’t take much shuffling through the mess in Ben’s bag. (lint, cigarettes, a can of beer, a…Pokemon wallet? And out of all colors…in _pink_?) for Rey to find a plastic bag filled with cubes of a caramel color. She scoops out a few and feeds them to Ben, who grumbles in pain as he chews them.

“Woah,” Rey watches the wound in the back of Ben’s head slowly close and cease bleeding. “That’s one less thing to worry about, at least.”

“You killed the giant?” Ben asks.

“Yeah, obviously,” Rey says. “Do you have any idea why he didn’t eat you?”

“No,” Ben replies. “He said he needed me alive, which is very strange, but given who I am…I guess I’m shouldn’t be too surprised. But how did you do it? I mean, no offense, but you don’t look like you’d be able to stand up to that thing bare handed.”

“Why would I do that?” Rey asks, confused. “I used your sword.”

“But you’re…” Careening slightly, Ben pushes himself up onto his feet. However, he has no trouble maintaining balance when he's up. “If you’re just a mortal, how could you touch this sword? Even those who can see past the Mist shouldn’t be able to touch Stygian Iron.”

“I didn’t just touch it,” Rey says. “It…when the giant swung it away, I reached out, and it just flew into my hand.”

She explains what exactly happened, the sensation she felt when she’d felt the blade in her hand, like something within her had awakened for the first time in her life. It’s still bewildering to process, but the fact that she has some place in this wild world Ben had roped her into fills her with a newfound sense of purpose she's never imagined.

When she’s finished, Ben’s eyes have widened in shock. “I’ve no idea what to make of that. You’re not a half-blood: he would’ve been able to smell you, or at least mention it. Unless he was holding something back, which isn’t likely. He would’ve wanted to kill you as soon as he laid eyes on you.”

 _Go_ _figure,_ Rey thinks.

“But you have powers,” Ben says as he grabs his backpack. “Zeus’s beard, you’ve got to come with me to Camp Half-Blood.”

“What, now?” Rey asks.

“Yeah, why not?” Ben replies. “What, you don’t want to go? You’re not even the slightest bit curious?”

Rey considers her options. Her days hiding from the authorities have always been numbered; London police are especially good at their jobs. She figures she has maybe another week, two if she’s lucky before they catch her again.

“Yes, I am,” she decides.

“Great!” Ben says. “But believe me, Giants running food stands in the middle of London is nothing compared to the sorts of stuff you’ll see at Camp Half-Blood. You won’t have to go dumpster diving anymore where we’re going. There’s going to be fresh food, a nice, cozy cabin, and showers, which you’ll probably _love-“_

“Good god, I don’t smell that bad, do I?” Rey rolls her eyes. “You must give your Mum quite the headache with that mouth of yours.”

Ben’s expression changes. It's a subtle transformation that still catches Rey off guard. She notices a certain glint in his eyes that she recognizes instantly. Lonely eyes filled with a melancholy that seem to seek what’s far beyond their line of sight.

It's a look she's all too familiar with, because she's seen it before. On herself, when she looks in the mirror and finds nothing but reminders of how weak and small she was compared to everything life had thrown at her. Everything she can't control.

“Well,” he sighs, a sad smile gracing his face, “-you’re not wrong about that.”


End file.
